caminar
/kamiˈnaɾ/
To walk in Spanish is caminar.
caminar means to move on foot by taking steps.
Which one should you use?
While caminar specifically emphasizes the physical act of taking steps, the synonym andar is also common and can imply a broader sense of movement or the concept of 'to go about'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, if you want to specifically refer to going for a leisurely stroll or 'to take a walk', you might use pasear.
How does it change in a sentence?
The first-person singular present indicative form of caminar is camino (I walk). To express a continuous action, such as 'walking', use the gerund caminando.
How do you pronounce it?
/kamiˈnaɾ/
Did you know?
- In some Latin American countries, the phrase andar can be used as a substitute for 'to be' in informal contexts, such as ando cansado meaning 'I am tired'.
- Because andar is so common, it appears in the phrase andar por las ramas, which literally means 'to walk through the branches' but actually means 'to beat around the bush'.
- In certain contexts, andar can be used to mean 'to function' or 'to work', such as when describing how a machine or a watch moves.
Examples in context
- No me gusta caminar.I don't like to walk.This sentence shows how to express a dislike for the action using caminar.Tatoeba #1003249 by hayastan, translation #2655198 by Dejo
- La bebé puede caminar.The baby is able to walk.This sentence uses caminar to describe a baby's ability to move on foot.Tatoeba #1298084 by marcelostockle, translation #45829 by CK
- No quiero caminar a casa.I don't want to walk home.This sentence uses caminar to express a lack of desire to walk to a destination.Tatoeba #2781965 by marcelostockle, translation #2323310 by CK
- Debo caminar más para mantenerme en forma.I should walk more to stay fit.
- Nuestro guía nos llevó a caminar por el centro histórico.Our guide took us for a walk in the historic center.
- Es placentero andar cerca del mar al atardecer.It's pleasant to walk near the sea at sunset.
- Ando mucho para ir al trabajo todos los días.I walk a lot to go to work every day.
- Hoy decidí ir a pie al supermercado.Today, I decided to walk to the supermarket.
- Vamos a ir a pie hasta la fiesta.We're going to walk to the party.
- Los domingos me gusta dar un paseo por el parque.On Sundays, I like to take a walk in the park.
- Decidimos dar un paseo por el centro de la ciudad para explorar.We decided to take a walk downtown to explore.
- Me encanta pasear por el casco antiguo de la ciudad.I love to take a walk in the old town.
- Decidieron pasear por el paseo marítimo durante la tarde.They decided to go for a walk along the promenade during the afternoon.
- 63 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are deciding how to get to a nearby cafe.
- Javier¿Quieres caminar al café?Do you want to walk to the cafe?
- MaríaSí, me gusta caminar mucho.Yes, I like walking a lot.
- JavierPerfecto, caminaremos juntos.Perfect, we will walk together.
- María¡Vamos!Let's go!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry caminar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
